Marcus Lattimore's road to recovery will continue as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers selected the South Carolina running back prospect in Saturday's fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft at No. 131 overall.

Lattimore is rehabilitating to get back on the field after suffering a major right knee injury in the Gamecocks' Oct. 27 game against Tennessee last season. The damage to multiple ligaments came a little more than a year after another knee tear in 2011.

Marcus Lattimore is battling back from a second major knee injury and the 49ers have the makeup at running back to allow him time to get fully healthy. (AP Photo)

In ’10, Lattimore delivered as a premier rusher in the SEC, earning first-team honors as a freshman. When healthy, he's a heady, strong back with good burst—much like the Niners' current veteran workhorse, Frank Gore. Gore also fell to San Francisco in the ’05 draft (third round) because of a knee injury he suffered (torn left ACL) during his college career at the University of Miami.

Gore has quite a bit of wear at age 29, and the Niners had to starting looking at his potential successor at feature back. With Gore still being productive in the meantime, it gives Lattimore the time to heal and return to his high talent level.

For now, the Niners' top change-of-pace back is last year’s second-round pick LaMichael James, as ’11 fourth-round pick Kendall Hunter is working to come back from tearing his left Achilles' tendon in November.

That means Lattimore likely won't be needed by San Francisco for a while, but when he's ready to play again, he steps into a great situation. The 49ers boast an elite rushing attack with the league's best offensive line. Knowing how well Gore has worked out, they should look forward to Lattimore's hard work paying off for both him and them in the near future.